Land Rover Discovery Sport 2020: spy shots, specs, prices and release

The cheapest model in Land Rover’s lineup is due to undergo a major overhaul later this year, as heavily camouflaged versions of prototype Discovery Sports have been spotted testing at the Nurburgring in Germany.

The Discovery Sport was introduced as a replacement for the ageing Freeland SUV in 2014 and went on to become the British marque’s best-selling model.

But sales have slipped following the arrival of “some strong competition”, most notably critically-acclaimed Volvo XC60, Autocar reports.

Land Rover, however, has a plan to win back customers, the motoring magazine says. The new Discovery Sport will be “reinvented as a more luxurious car” with a focus on electrified powertrains.

Judging by spy footage posted by YouTube channel Automotive Mike of the vehicle testing in Germany, the launch of the revamped Discovery Sport may be on the near horizon.

While we wait for an official word from Land Rover on when the car will make its debut, here’s everything we know about the new Discovery Sport:

Release date

It’s widely believed that the Discovery Sport will be unveiled this year, before sales get underway in early 2020.

Autocar predicted an “early 2019” launch for the new SUV last September, but there was no sign of the car at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Therefore, expect the covers to come off at arguably the biggest motoring event of the year, the Frankfurt Motor Show, which runs from 12 to 22 September.

Pricing

The current Discovery Sport carries a price tag of about £30,000 and it’s unlikely that the new model will cost significantly more.

However, as Land Rover is said to be giving the SUV a more luxury feel with hi-tech engines, there’s a chance the new version may carry a small premium over today’s model.

Design

Recent spy shots and videos show a prototype version of the Discovery Sport covered in camouflage, making it difficult to identify the differences between the new and current models.

However, Motor1 notes that the new car is a “facelifted” model, suggesting that there will only be a few “minor visual revisions” and additions over the current Discovery Sport.

There’s a chance that the new SUV will adopt the front and rear bumper design of the Range Rover Evoque, the motoring site says. This may include the crossover’s thin LED headlights and squarer rear bumper styling.

Expect a host of changes on the inside, too, adds Motor1. The new Discovery Sport should come with a “completely overhauled cabin”, along with the latest version of Land Rover’s infotainment system.

Engines and electrification

Almost every model in the range will come equipped with a 48v “mild hybrid” system, which cuts out the combustion engine “at a standstill in urban driving” to improve fuel economy and keep emissions to a minimum, says Car magazine.

There will also be a range-topping plug-in hybrid equipped with an 11kWh lithium-ion battery that feeds power to an 80kW electric motor on the rear axle, the magazine says.

The hybrid system can be used to operate the car on electric energy alone, with the vehicle’s 1.5-litre Ingenium petrol engine waking up once the battery is out of power.